GOP lawmakers welcome Vilsack comments

Republican legislators say they welcome democrat Governor Tom Vilsack’s new outlook on a special legislative session. Vilsack said today there must be a special session soon to either re-establish the new “Iowa Values” state economic development fund, or at least appropriate the money to make good on the “Iowa Values” grants that have already been promised to businesses. House Republican Leader Chuck Gipp of Decorah says the Governor has now come around to the position Gipp and other lawmakers have held since June. Gipp says it’s always been a matter of not just fixing but “recreating” the Values Fund since a Supreme Court ruling in June struck down the law that created the Fund in the first place. Gipp says he hopes today’s statement from the Governor is a “major step forward” in resolving the dispute between the democratic governor and republican legislators. But Gipp says republicans still believe workers comp issues must be addressed in a special session bill so it’d be considered an “economic stimulus package.” Gipp says the G-O-P has given up on its tax cut plans, but will insist on business reforms that’ll help the majority of companies in Iowa, not just the 30 businesses that have received “Iowa Values” awards.